Enfilading-machine.



W. H. NORFOLK.

ENFILADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. I916.

1 ,227,4:87. Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- Y f $297M,-

W. H. NORFOLK.

ENFILADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-23,1916.

1,227,487. Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT onnrcn.

WILLIAM H. NORFOLK, OF SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

ENFILADING-MACHINEl Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 23, 1916. Serial 170. 79,977.

"To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. NORFOLK, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Pedro, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Enfilading-Machines, of which the following is a specificacharged while the machine is in motion and in which the discharge of the projectiles may be automatically. effected after the machine has traversed a desired distance.

Another object is to provide a timing' mechanism operated by the travel .of the machinewhich is adapted to beset to ignite.

explosive charges when the machine has traveled a predetermined distance from its starting'pointand by which any predetermined firing-point within the limit of-travel of the machine may be selected as occasion uires.- I

other object is to provide a machine of the above type, so constructed and arranged 1 that projefitiles will be discharged simultaneously the back- 'ressure's occasioned by firing the 'explosive'charges on opposite sides of the machine will opposeeach other.

Another object is to provide means on the 7 machine for propelling it. toward aselected point. a

A further object is provide a self-propelled projectile discharging machine which is adapted to break down entanglements and which will tend to maintain the course or path over which it is setto travel.

Another object is to provide the machine with bombs adapted to be exploded after the firing of the projectiles.

lading machine, illustrating'it in action.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspectlve view of the enfi moppo site sides thereof so that Fig. 2 is a View ofsame in sideelevation with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section and elevation as seen on the line 3+3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a detail longitudinal section and elevation as seen' .on the line 4,4 of Fig.-3, with parts removed, showing the charge firing mechanism.

Fig.6 is a detail illustrating the timing charges.

Fig. 6 is a detail section and elevation as seen on the line 6 .,-6 of Fig. 5 showing the electrical contact maker.

. Fig. 7 is a detail illustrating the construction of the electric ignition caps.

More specifically, 10 and 11 indicate a Patented May 22, 1917.

'mechanism for controlling the firing of the pair of traction wheels which are slightly spaced apart and mounted on a single drive shaft 12 to travel in unison. Interposed between the wheels 10 and -11 and supported on the drive shaft 12 is. a frame, comprising apair of'walls 13. and 14 having hubs 15 equipped. with rollerl bearings 16 through which the shaft 12 extends. ".The plates 13 and 14 extend contiguous to the inner faces of the wheels 10 and 11, and project below the shaft 12 toform a support for a storage battery 17 a motor 18, and their respective connections; The motor 18 is designed to be driven by electrical current supplied'by the battery 17 and is fitted with a drive shaft 19 having pinions 20 which mesh with idler gears 21 suitably carried by the plates 13 and 14. The gears 21 are fitted'wi-th reduction gears. 22 which mesh with idler gears 23-engaging gears 24 on the driveshaft The gears just referred to constitute a reduction driving transmission between the motor 18 and the traction wheels 10 and 11. It is manifest that any equivalent means of driving the wheels 10 and 11 from the motor 18 may be employed as desired.

As a means for insuring rotatlon of the wheels 10 and 11 in relation to the frame therebetween, a bracket 25 is secured to the frame to extend. rearward thereof, this bracket bein fitted with a trailer-wheel 26 arran ed to ear on the surface supporting the w eels 10 and 11. preferably mounted in resilient or yieldable connection with the frame so as to cushion shocks at'this point. To carry out this feature the bracket 25 is formed with a slot 27 engaginga pin 28 on the frame to permit I of slight longitudinal movement of the This bracket 25 is bracket and mounted on the bracket and ex- I tending above and below thereof is a pair of alinement with each other.

leaf spring -members 29, the outer ends of which are engageable with the frame in such manner as to resiliently oppose vertical movement of the bracket on. the pivot formed by its connection to the pin 28. The trailer-wheel 26 is preferably formed with spurs 30 on its tread face to engage the surface on which the machine travels and which tend to direct the travel of the machine on a straight course.

Mounted onthe wheels 10 and 11 are series of cartridges or shells 31 and 32 arranged adjacent the outer periphery of I the wheel with the shells 31 and 32 disposed in These shells are thus arranged in annular rows concentric with the axis of the axle 125A second annular row of shells 33 and 34 is here shown as mounted on the wheels 10 and 11 concentrio with the rows of shells 31 and 32. The number of annular rows of these shells may be increased or diminished as occasion may require. These shells may be of any suitable construction but are preferably of such type that they may be fired by the electric spark, for. which purpose the inner ends of theshells are fitted with caps 35, as shown in Fig. 7. Each of the caps 35 embodies asparking terminal 36 which connects with a conductor 37 leading from one of the poles of a cell of the battery 17. A second sparking terminal 38 is spaced from the terminal 36 and has a contact member 39 on its outer end arranged adjacent the inner face ofthe plate 13 or 14. Mounted on the plates 13 and 14, in position to wipe the contact members 39 as the wheels 10 and 11 revolve in relation to the frame, are wiper contacts 40 and 41. The wiper'contacts 40 are arranged to deliver electrical current to the cartridges 31 and 32, and the wiper contacts 41 are ar ranged to deliver electrical current to the cartridges 33 and 34. Leading from the contact wipers 40 and 41 are conductors 42 and 43 which connect with switch terminals 44 and 45 on bus-bars 46 carried by the plates 13 and 14, which switch contact members are designed to be engaged by an adjustable and movable switch member 47 adapted to be moved into successive engagement with the switch members 44 and 45 by rotation of the wheels 10 and 11.

The switch member 47 constitutes an element of an adjustable timing mechanism by which the cartridges may be fired after the machine has traversed a predetermined distance from its starting point. This timing mechanism is here shown as embodying a shaft 48 on which the member 47 is turnably mounted and on which a ratchet disk 49 is keyed. The member 47 is designed to be attached to the ratchet disk 49 to move 65 with the latter, a pin 50 carried by the memrocal member 53 adapted to be advanced by a cam 54 on the shaft 12; a spring 55 normally maintaining the member 53 in its lowermost position.

-A plurality of bombs 56 of any suitable description are mounted on the wheels 10 and 11 and are preferably equipped with time fuses 57 which connect with electric caps 58 corresponding to the cartridge caps which connect with the conductor 37, and are formed with contact members 59 adapted to be engaged by wiper contacts 60 on the plates 13 and 14. The wipers 60 connect throughconductors 61 with switch contact plates 62 adapted to be engaged by a switch arm 63 turnable on a shaft 64 and adjustably engageable with a ratchet disk 65 rigidly mounted on the shaft 64. The arm 63 is fitted with a pin 66 adapted to extend into sockets 67 on the ratchet disk 65. The ratchet disk 65 is disposed adjacent the disk 49 so as to be engaged by a pawl 68 carried by the member 53. By this arrangement up-.

ward movement of the member 53 will operate to advance both ratchet disks 49 and 65 in one impulse.

The outer tread portions of the wheels 10 and 11 are equipped with spurs 69 which provide traction treads for the wheels and at the same time furnish a means for destroying entanglements disposed in the path of travel of the machine.

The cam 54 and the teeth on the ratchet disks 49 and 65 are so proportioned in rela tion to each other that the cam will operate on a complete revolution of the shaft 12'and the wheels 10 and 11 to advance the ratchet disks 49 and 65 the. length of a ratchet tooth.

In the operation of the invention, the switch contact member 47 is set on the disk 49 according to the distance to be covered 'by the machine before firing of the projectiles. For instance, if it is desired that the machine travel a distance which would be traversed on ten revolutions of the wheels 10 and 11, before firing the projectiles, the switch arm 47 will be set to extend opposite the tenth ratchet tooth back from the one opposite the switch member 44. The arm 63 will be positioned on the disk 65 according to the distance the machine is to travel before firing the bombs, which ordinarily would be such as to fire the bombs after the projectiles have been fired. The electrical current from the battery 17 is then directed to the motor 18 in any desired manner, whereupon the motor operates through the transmission mechanism before described to drive the wheels 10 and 11 simultaneously. Each revolution of the wheels acts through the cam 54 to advance the ratchet disks 49 and 65 as before stated, the spring 55 retracting the member 53 after each advance impulse of, the ratchets.

The switch member 47 will thus be moved into engagement with the switch member 44, thereby delivering electrical current from the battery to the latter; one terminal of the battery being connected to the switch member 47. a

As the wheels 10 and 11 revolve, the contact members 39 of the cartridges 31 and 32 will then be brought successively into contact with the wipers 41, thus firing the cartridges of each pair simultaneously and firing the pairs successively as they pass the point at their uppermost arc of travel. One complete revolution of the wheels 10 and 11 will thus fire the outermost row of projectiles, whereupon the switch arm 47 will be advanced into engagement with the switch member 45 so that the second row will be fired in like manner. By this arrangement projectiles will be fired from opposite sides of the machine as it-advances.

In like manner the fuses 57 leading to the bombs 56 will be fired successively when the arm ()3 contacts the switch member 62, the arm 63 being electrically connected to the battery. \Vhilc the firing of the fuses will thus be successive throughout the rotation of the wheels 10 and 11, the moment of explosion of the bombs will be governed by the time fuses.

It is manifest that various propelling mechanisms may be employed for driving 'the machine and that the character and arrangement of the explosives may be varied as occasion may require and it is obvious that various changes in the arrangement and construction of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

IVhat I claim is:

1. An enfilading machine, comprising a frame. wheels supporting said frame, ex-

plosive charges carried by said wheels, and

Y means controlled by the rotation of the' wheels for firing said charges.

2. An enfilading machine, comprising a frame, wheels supporting said frame, explosive charges carried by said wheels, means controlled by the rotation of the wheels for firing said charges, and means whereby firing of the charges may be set to operate when the. wheels have traveled a predetermined distance.

Wheel being arranged opposite the charges on the other wheel.

5. An enfiladlng machine, comprising a frame, a pair of wheels supportmg sald frame, a trailer-wheel resiliently connected' to the frame, means for propelling the firstnamed wheels, explosive charges carried by the wheels, and means controlled by the rotation of said wheels for firing said charges.

6. An enfilading machine, comprising a pair of wheels, aframe carried by said wheels, means on said frame for propelling the wheels, a trailer-wheel resiliently connected to said frame, a series of explosive charges carried by said wheels, means controlled by rotation of the wheels for firing said charges, and means for timing the firing of the charges. Q

7. An enfilading machine, comprising a shaft, drive wheels rigidly mounted on said shaft, a-frame carried by the. shaft between the wheels, a series of explosive charges carried by the wheels, a cam on the shaft, and means controlled by said cam for firing the explosive charges on rotation of the shaft.

8. An enfilading machine, comprising a shaft, drive wheels rigidly mounted on said shaft, a frame carried by the shaft between the wheels, a series of explosive charges carried by the wheels, a cam on the shaft, means controlled by said cam for firing the explosive charges onrotation of the shaft, and means carried by said frame for pro pelling said shaft and wheels.

9. An enfilading machine, comprising a shaft, a pair of wheels rigidly mounted thereon, a frame carried by said shaft, explosive charges carried by said wheels, electric ignition caps for firing said charges, electrical -means for firing said caps, and means actuated by rotation of the shaft controlling the electrical cap firing means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM H. NORFOLK. 

